Peter Ehwald - Meanwhile (2025)

This is the second sax drums duo recording of Peter Ehwald following his 2023 release Celeste with Diego Pinera. Ehwald has admired Bill Elgart's drumming for a long time and they had been talking about playing together for a while. When a project including the two did not materialize, Ehwald packed saxophones and microphones and took the train to Elgart's hometown Ulm. Elgart, who has been secretly shaping European Modern Jazz for the last 50 years whilst sitting behind the drums for Kenny Wheeler, Tomasz Stanko, Richie Beirach, Marion Brown, Barre Philips and many others is the perfect match for such a session. To Ehwald Meanwhile is an impromptu homage to his favorite saxophonists. Not only to Sonny Rollins (Without a song), Ornette Coleman (Hupty Dumpty), Charlie Parker (Barbados) and of course John Coltrane (check the long soprano development to Tin Tin Deo) but also to his first saxophone teacher Mack Goldsbury, who liked to play and record these compositions. It is exciting to hear them examining the corners and edges of tunes as well as playing the moment. Ehwald's melodic approach highlights Elgart's articulate energetic drumming. Meanwhile is a recording in which spacing of melodic and rhythmic material means something - it means everything! The barren setting makes the two musicians excel across generations in rhythm, sound, form and spirit.